Rooftop beer garden and brewery in Willow Glen is pitched to San Jose city planners

Rooftop beer garden and brewery in Willow Glen is pitched to San Jose city plannersRendering Credit: Stowers Associates
Wesley Severson
Published on March 09, 2022

We’re getting our first look at plans that are in the works for a new restaurant and bar in one of San Jose’s most vibrant neighborhoods. Developers are now looking to build a beer garden and restaurant with an open rooftop design in Willow Glen at 1093 Minnesota Avenue. The site is just a short distance from busy Lincoln Avenue which is already lined with popular shops and is considered one of the district’s most bustling commercial corridors. According to the Mercury News which obtained documents from San Jose planners, “a two-story dining and drinking establishment called Luke’s Rooftop Beer Garden and Restaurant” is what is being pitched. 


Rendering Credit: Stowers Associates

 

The bottom story of the new establishment would contain a dining room, kitchen, and “a brewing space for making beer,” according to the Mercury News. The main dining area would be on the second floor and would be complemented by “an open rooftop terrace.” An Architect based in Campbell, Stowers Associates, appears to be in charge of the trendy-looking building design. The Mercury News reports that one of the applicants listed on the project is Russ Fukushima who co-owns Water Tower Kitchen in Campbell which was also designed by Stowers Associates.

To make way for the project, a 2,100 square foot, single-story commercial building that used to house a liquor store would have to be demolished. In its place would rise a two-story, 4,800 square foot building that would be the new home for Luke’s Rooftop Beer Garden and Restaurant. It's unclear how far into the city planning process the project is at this point which means no timelines have been released for full approval or construction. If the project does get built, it would appear to fit right into the community. The location is just steps from more than a dozen other popular Willow Glen restaurants and shops along Lincoln Avenue.